FAQS

PRODUCT INFO

Q: What is the difference between THE PURE SPRINGER MOUNTAIN FARMS product line THAT I’ve come to KNOW AND love and THE new Plus LINE?

A: The PLUS line of products has all the same great attributes of our original PURE Springer Mountain Farms line of products PLUS feed that is made from 100% American-grown, NON-GMO PROJECT VERIFIED ingredients! For more information about Non-GMO Project Verified, visit nongmoproject.org.

Q: Do you send chicken to china for processing?

A: No! We never have and never will send our chickens to China for processing. All of our farms and facilities are family owned and operated, and are conveniently located within a 60-mile radius of our home office in Northeast Georgia. This enables us to provide our customers with the safest, highest quality products possible.

Q: Are your chickens organic?

A: Springer Mountain Farms chickens are not classified as organic. We feel that our chicken sets itself above the standards for organic classification by USDA which allow the use of antibiotics the first days of life, do not address food safety, are not certified to a humane standard, and do not require testing of soil, water and feed. We NEVER use antibiotics, are certified by the American Humane Association, and we test soil, water and feed in our onsite USDA certified laboratory for contaminants and pesticides.

Q: Is Springer Mountain Farms chicken gluten free?

Q:What chilling method do you use?

A: We chill by using the water-chilled immersion method versus the air chilled method. Immersion chilling has proven over the years to be the most successful means for preventing microbial growth as well as reducing temperature. “Cooled Air” chilling not only falls short comparably to immersion chilling in food safety, but most often requires the use of chlorine spray to remove undesirable contaminants.

Q: Do you use arsenic?

A: No. Our chickens are NEVER administered or fed any form of organic or inorganic arsenic in any way, shape or form.

RESPONSIBLY RAISED

Q: What does AMERICAN HUMANE CERTIFIED mean?

A: We take extra steps to ensure the health and welfare of our chickens. All of our practices and procedures are certified by the American Humane Association (AHA) as being the most humane possible. This is verified by regular, independent, third party audits of all farms and facilities. We were the first poultry producer in the world to be certified by the American Humane Association (AHA), the oldest and most trusted advocate of animal welfare in the country. To learn more about the AHA program, visit humaneheartland.org.

Q: What’s the big deal about antibiotics?

A: Some companies feed their chickens antibiotics to promote growth. This has led to the over use of antibiotics and has created a resistance to the treatment of the diseases for which they were intended. Our chickens don’t need antibiotics to grow and stay healthy. Providing the chickens with a high quality diet and focusing on sound animal husbandry (increased space, reduced stress, high levels of sanitation) eliminates the need for antibiotics.

Q: Are your chickens allowed to forage? What do you feed your chickens?

A: Chickens by nature are eating machines, and when allowed to forage on their own outdoors, they will eat anything they come across, good or bad. If we are unable to control what our chickens are eating, we don’t know what our customers are eating, and that’s a risk we do not want to take!

We feed our chickens a diet of American-grown, pesticide-free, corn and soybean meal plus vitamins and minerals that never includes any antibiotics, hormones, steroids, or animal by-products. Our feed is carefully formulated by staff veterinarians and expert nutritionists to provide the optimum amount of nutrients for the health and well-being of our chickens.

EXCITING NEWS- Our new PLUS line of products have all the same great attributes of our original PURE Springer Mountain Farms line of products PLUS feed that is made from 100% American-grown, NON-GMO PROJECT VERIFIED ingredients! For more information about Non-GMO Project Verified, visit nongmoproject.org.

Q:Are your chickens free range or pasture raised?

A: No, Our chickens are not free range nor pasture raised. They are raised inside comfortable houses where they have an unlimited supply of clean water and fresh feed along with plenty of fresh air and room to roam about, allowing them the ability to live a normal life without the threat of predators, exposure to diseases from migratory birds, or harm from the elements as they’d be subjected to if raised outdoors. Our low-stress growing practices and procedures have earned us certification by the American Humane Association, the oldest and most trusted advocate of animal welfare in the country. Springer Mountain Farms was the first brand of chicken in the world to be American Humane Certified.

Q:Do you use hormones or growth stimulants in your chicken?

A: We do NOT use hormones, steroids or growth stimulants of any kind. The USDA & FDA strictly PROHIBIT the use of steroids and hormones in poultry production entirely and have since the 1950s.

Q: How do you slaughter your chickens?

A: Our chickens are slaughtered by means of electrical stunning then exsanguination from the carotid artery. This has proven to be the most thorough and humane method possible as the sensibility of the chicken is first reduced so it is not aware of the process at all. In addition, exsanguination ensures that the chicken is deceased before any processing begins. All of our practices and procedures are approved and certified by the American Humane Association (AHA) as being the most humane possible. This is verified by regular, independent audits of all farms and facilities by the AHA, the oldest and most trusted advocate of animal welfare in the country.

SUSTAINABILITY & SAFETY

Q: Are your trays recyclable?

A: Most of our fresh tray-packed Springer Mountain Farms PLUS products are packaged in our new clear plastic tray. The new clear trays are three times stronger than styrofoam, yet 100% recycleable with a resin code of 1, and they are also BPA Free.

Q: What steps do you take to protect the environment?

A: Protecting the environment for future generations is high on the Springer Mountain Farms list of priorities. On the farms before any houses are built, soil is tested for residue, potential run-off and environmental impact on wildlife. Our staffed specialists continually conduct environmental testing that the EPA has set as standards. We look beyond these standards for new and better ways to protect the environment.

Q: What is biosecurity and why do you do it?

A: Biosecurity can simply be defined as policies, procedures, physical constraints or measures that are put into place to prevent the introduction of organisms, viruses, chemical or physical agents that may be defined as a threat to the health of the poultry or humans. We use specific procedures to ensure that the poultry being produced does not come into contact with disease agents or hazardous materials or agents that would impact the health of the chicken being produced or present a potential threat to our consumers.

Q: What steps do you take during processing to address food safety?

A: American consumers can be confident that the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the public health agency in the USDA, ensures that all of our products are safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. In addition to these measures, Springer Mountain Farms participates in the Safe Quality Food Program (SQF). This program is a food safety and quality certification program recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), as a rigorous, credible food safety and quality management system. Maintaining certification through the SQF Institute assures our customers that we continuously and effectively implement robust food safety control systems based on sound scientific principles. Our HACCP Plan, Good Manufacturing Practices and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures form a foundation of our SQF Program and define the procedures and conduct our employees are expected to follow. SQF Institute auditors frequently inspect each facilities processes, control measures, training records, and the training comprehension level of our employees to ensure compliance with the SQF Code.